“Tell me, Kethran,” Admiral Vorth said to her security officer, “What do we know about this species?”
“Ma’am,” he replied, “Humans they are called. They have been broadcasting signals for decades, Ma’am. They are primitive in terms of advancement, no Faster Than Light propulsion, no contact with any species, and initial scans of their planet show an abundance of minerals that we will use.”
“I see, and their system as a whole?”
“Eight planets plus a number of minor planets, moons and asteroids. Some of the planets have rings, mostly of ice or methane. Their sun is a minor star, and frankly, the whole system is unremarkable.”
Admiral Vorth sat in her chair and looked out of the viewing screen. Before her lay the system, Sol the species called it, and their home planet they called Earth, and they were the species human. This much the Centaurans had learned by monitoring the Earth transmissions over the past decade. A survey had been dispatched to undertake an investigation and determine if it was worth the time and investment.
Was the populace worth subjugating to mine the minerals for? Were there enough minerals? The asteroids, what about them, were they worth mining, or were they just worthless iron? So many questions that could only be answered by a physical visit. Admiral Vorth had been given the task.
This was to be a no-contact visit, a visit to examine the system, see what the humans had actually managed to achieve. Had they established bases on the other planets in their system, had they managed to even get into space? Would any resistance the humans gave outweigh the value of the minerals to be extracted? The probes that the Centaurans had seeded around the solar system gave only so much information.
“Proceed into the system, and we will examine each planet in turn.” Admiral Vorth instructed. The survey would take approximately two weeks of standard galactic time, and then the Centaurans would be better positioned to know if this small and unremarkable system in the western spiral arm was worth bothering with.
The first planet, the one humans referred to as Neptune, was a gaseous planet, comprised mostly of hydrogen and helium, with a small amount of methane. The next planet, Uranus, was similar but with a greater percentage of Methane, possibly a big enough concentration to be worth extraction.
Next was a planet, Saturn, with extensive rings comprised of ice. The planet itself was almost entirely hydrogen. It could be worth harvesting the rings for water. The next planet was a massively turbulent planet, known by the humans as Jupiter. It was really a failed sun, being almost entirely Hydrogen and Helium. Its magnetic fields were fierce, and even being on any of its moons would be damaging to Centaurans' health.
Then there is an orbit of small rocky asteroids, comprising mostly carbons, silicas or irons. Probably worth mining, a more detailed survey would be required, but definitely worth a deeper look. Asteroids were always much easier to harvest than metals buried in a planet's crust, unless, of course, you had a ready-made population on that planet for mining.
Next was a red coloured planet, the humans referred to as Mars. The most abundant chemical elements in the Martian crust were silicon, oxygen, iron, magnesium, aluminium, calcium, and potassium. Definitely an abundant source of all the prime chemicals used by modern progressive civilisations. This would be a valuable resource for the Centaurans. There was no evidence of habitation on Mars; the humans had not colonised it.
The next planet was the inhabited planet, Earth. Several billion bipedal creatures as the dominant population, plus several hundreds of thousands of other creatures, some kept as food, some were predators. The planet was mostly covered in water, but not drinkable water; it was contaminated with salts, and would require treating before being usable.
The planet was a mad planet; it had wild storms in its atmosphere, volcanos still erupted on its surface, the surface was made up of differing plates that rubbed against each other and caused earthquakes. It was what the Centaurans referred to as a death world. Almost every death world that they found, like Earth, had no civilisation, nothing could establish enough of a foothold to get to an intelligent, thriving civilisation.
Earth was different in that regard, and that made it interesting. As they observed Earth, a chemically powered spaceship left the surface. For a moment, Admiral Vorth wondered if it was aimed at them, but no, all it seemed to do was place a satellite into orbit around the planet and then return to the surface. They were, to all intents and purposes, invisible to the humans.
The next planet was a seething world full of hot gases over a rocky surface. Its atmosphere was almost entirely carbon dioxide, and the surface temperature of the planet was around five hundred degrees. It would take a few centuries of work to make the planet harvestable, and the planet had nothing that wasn’t available elsewhere. It was basically useless to the Centaurans.
Finally, a small rocky planet called Mercury. It was comprised of around seventy percent metallic elements, and the rest were silicates. Its surface temperatures varied from minus two hundred degrees to over five hundred degrees. Mining would be a challenge. Useful sources, but there were better sources on the third and fourth planets.
Vorth concluded his survey, and as his ship returned to Centaur, he began compiling his report. A primitive system with two planets worthy of exploitation. There was one indigenous species called Humans on the third planet; they had not ventured to the other planets or developed FTL drives. They would be an easy conquest. Fifty ships and a hundred thousand ground troops would be sufficient. If past experiences were anything to go by, a simple broadcast to the planet would have them surrendering. If not, a plasma strike on a main population centre always ended with their capitulation.
Vorth sent his report and then headed off to the next system on his list, just over twenty light-years rimwards. Plenty of time to contemplate the next system en route. He instructed Kethran to prepare a presentation on the target. No hurry, they had a few days of transit.
Back on Centaur, the council received Vorth’s report on Sol, and it was debated in the next scheduled main council meeting.
“A new species for subjugation,” High Councillor K’Ra said.
“Yes,” Councillor M’That agreed. “A fleet of fifty sounds about right.”
“We have just finished the Kelan system; the troops will be back in a month. We can be ready to depart for Sol in three months,” Councillor N’Gum stated.
There were discussions on logistics and timings. There was no need to hurry; the human species were primitives, and a simple landing would be sufficient, and then they would have a system of resources with a population able to mine and refine it for them. Easy. They moved on to the next item of business, a minor rebellion in the Sirtees system in the Eastern arm of the galaxy, nothing that a few plasma blasts and ground troops would be able to resolve in short order.
Admiral S’Kath exited FTL on the outer perimeter of the Sol system. “Ships report,” he commanded to the fifty troop and assault ships that he commanded. All were present, no ships lost in transit, not that he had expected any, but a good commander always checked.
“Yellow Alert, we are entering the Sol system. We expect no resistance, but we will remain alert just in case. “As you are aware from the briefing notes,” he was addressing the captains of his fleet, “the target is Earth, the third planet. When we arrive, we assume deployment delta. I shall stand back and address the planet. What happens then is dependent upon their response.”
The fleet began its progress through the solar system. It would take them a little under eighteen hours to get to Earth, and then the routine work of subjugation would begin.
“Scan,” S’Kath instructed his security officer when they arrived at Earth and took up positions in orbit. Ships over the main population centres of the planet.
“Nothing, sir, standard junk communications.”
“Remarkable,” S’Kath said, “If they are able to launch spaceships, you would think that they would be aware of what was happening in their system. They should be able to see us, be aware that we are here.”
He turned to the communications officer, “Prepare to broadcast, all frequencies, all modulations.”
“Sir,” the communications officer said, “Ready when you are.”
S’Kath stood up, pulled his tunic down, faced the camera and began speaking.
“Citizens of Earth,” he began, “I am Admiral S’Kath of the Centauran Confederacy. Your planet has been designated as a protectorate in the confederacy. You will surrender your military and prepare for assimilation. You have one rotation to accept, and then we will start landing our ships.”
Nothing. There was no response; there was no detectable change in the plethora of broadcasts from the surface.
“Are you sure we are broadcasting?” S’Kath asked the communications officer.
“Sir, yes, sir, all frequencies and all modulations, all in the five main languages used on this planet.
“Sir,” the Security Officer interjected, “I am getting strange readings from their moon and from the planet's surface, not consistent with their level of technology.”
“Explain,” S’Kath demanded.
Before the Security Officer could speak, the Communications Officer interrupted, “Sir, an incoming message from the planet.”
“Play it,” S’Kath instructed,
“Admiral S’Kath,” a voice said, using English, one of the known Earth languages and translated into Centaur standard by the onboard translator, “I am Secretary General Williams of the United Nations of Earth. We thank you for your interest in inviting Earth to join your protectorate, and at this time, we will respectfully decline. We thank you for your interest at this time, and would ask that you peacefully depart the solar system. Earth out.”
S’Kath stood there with his mouth open and his antenna rigid. “What?” he gasped. Never in his years of subjugation of primitives had he ever had a response like this.
“Open a channel,” he barked.
“People of Earth,” he was almost snarling, “I think that you misunderstand. This was not an invitation. You will be assimilated. It is not up for debate. Your weapons are no match for ours. If you do not comply immediately, we shall start demonstrating our power on your population centres.”
“Sir,” the security officer called as soon as S’Kath had finished speaking, “Sir, the energy readings I am getting.”
“What?” S’Kath snapped.
“Sir, the energy readings are far higher than we believe possible. Certainly, far beyond what this species should be producing.”
“Show me,” S’Kath demanded.
The main screen changed from a view of Earth to a wider view. There were red dots on the surface of the moon, and also red dots surrounding the planet. “Each dot is a power source, Sir.”
“There are thousands of them,” S’Kath said.
“Sir, incoming broadcast.” The Communications Officer called.
“Play it.”
“Admiral S’Kath. I do not think that you have grasped the situation. Earth does not wish to join your confederacy or whatever name you want to give to your dictatorship. Earth finished with dictatorships a century ago.” There was a pause, and then Secretary General Williams continued.
“We were aware of you and your protectorate three decades ago. We heard your transmissions. At first, we were excited to discover that we were not alone in the galaxy, and then, as we began to understand your language, we realised that you were predators. We understood that you would see us as prey.”
There was another pause. S’Kath spoke.
“It matters not what you thought; your technology is no match for ours, and you will be subjugated. We will start subjugating your cities with plasma blasts. It matters not if we destroy a few billion of you; there will be enough of you left to mine the minerals that we want.”
“Admiral S’Kath,” Secretary General Williams responded,” I would strongly advise against doing that. We have had thirty years to prepare; we are not as primitive as you think. Admiral, this is your warning from Earth. Stand down your weapons, turn around and leave our system. You have one hour to comply.”
S’Kath laughed. There was a game on Centaur for credits called Chu’kpa, which involved bluff, and S’Kath was a master. He knew bluffing when he heard it.
“Tactical,” he said, “prime main weapons, target the city beneath us. Fire when ready.”
The tactical officer brought the weapon to ready and then aimed at the centre of the city and fired. A massive plasma blast shot from the ship and headed to the surface. It should have destroyed the city, leaving a crater of molten slag. That didn’t happen. Bolts of plasma shot up from the surface and intersected it, deflecting it sideways. Nothing hit the city.
“What?” S’Kath screamed.”
“Admiral S’Kath,” Secretary General Williams voice came into the control room, “you have taken the first shot. We told you that we had prepared; we have prepared for thirty years. We have hidden our capabilities, and now you have declared war on Earth. Now, prepare for our response.”
S’Kath watched on screen as beams of blue iridescence approached the ships to his port side. Before he could say anything, the beams intersected with three ships. The ships crumpled and folded up and effectively disappeared.
“Sir,” the tactical officer said, ‘our ships, well, Sir, they are still there, but they have been compressed into a solid piece of matter, from a ship three hundred metres long, to a ball of one metre.”
“What? How?”
“Admiral S’Kath,” the voice from Earth came again, “that is just one of our weapons. It is a graviton beam. It subjects whatever it intersects with to a million-fold gravity. Your ships, their crew, they are all still there; they just take up less space. Obviously, nothing is living; your crews are gone. You have five minutes to leave.”
S’Kath looked at the screen, an emptiness now where his ships had been.
“How do we fight that?” he asked.
No one had a clue. The tactical officer simply shook his head. The Security Officer spoke up, “Sir, we do not have that technology, we do not know how to defend against that.”
“All ships,” S’Kath broadcast, “return to the edge of the system. We are returning to Centaur. Stand down all weapons, do not give these primitive barbarians an excuse to fire.”
“Thank you,” came the voice from Earth, “and if you want to trade with us, please be advised that we are not yet willing to trade eternally. We do not wish to join your club or engage in any form of dialogue. Earth is closed. Thank you, and have a safe journey.”
S’Kath sat in his chair and thought hard about what had just happened. He could not tell if the humans had a lot of weapons, or just one, or whether they would be able to deal with a larger fleet. What he did know was that they had just destroyed three ships and all the Centaurans inside them, in this case, thirty thousand soldiers, officers, diplomats and general mechanics.
All of them, well, most of them, would have families, children, loved ones. Gone, simply eradicated in less than a second. They would have felt nothing; he doubted that they had even registered that they were dead. He tried to understand how he felt. It was anger at the unexpected loss of life, life that should not even have been at risk; it was puzzlement at how a primitive species was able to produce such advanced weapons. There was uncertainty about what the Centaurans should do next.
He began to compose his report. It would get back to the High Councillor before he did. He made sure to include all footage of the encounter, the logs from their instruments, and all the audio recordings. He was careful to make no recommendation; he would leave that to the High Councillor, it was above his pay grade.
K’Ra sat in his office and read the report. He then watched the video footage and finally listened to the audio. His fists tightened on the arms of his chair, and his demeanour worsened. This was unprecedented, and he was sure that heads would roll. Vorth was the prime target for his ire; her report had been woefully inadequate, so bad that he wondered if Vorth had even visited the system.
“Get me Vorth,” he said in clipped tones into the intercom to his secretary. The secretary recognised the tones and sent a priority message out to Vorth. She was three days away by FTL, three days that he knew K’Ra would find intolerable.
He went into K’Ra’s office. “Vorth is three days away, Excellency,” he said, “She can be here sooner only by Holo.”
“Get her, now,” K’Ra said and turned back to the report from S’Kath. S’Kath had done the right thing; he had backed away and minimised loss of life. He had not been sufficiently equipped to take the battle to the humans. Had they known in advance of the human technological prowess, they would have bombarded the planet from afar, without warning.
They did not have that knowledge, and that came down to Vorth. The space in front of his desk flickered, and then Vorth appeared in a hologram.
“Excellency, how may I be of service?” She said, her head bowed in respect.
“Earth,” K’Ra said.
“Ah, yes, Excellency, I was there a few months ago. Insignificant if I recall.”
“That is what you reported. However, that is not what it is.”
“I do not understand, Excellency,” Vorth replied, “they have no off-world colonies, they are using chemical rockets to get satellites into orbit, they showed no signs of even knowing that we were there.”
“They have weapons more advanced than we do, Vorth, and you did not notice them.”
“Excellency,” an edge of fear in Vorth’s response, “I undertook a comprehensive survey, I reported on everything I saw.”
“You did not look well enough. You are to return to Centaur immediately.” K’Ra cut the communication; he hadn’t decided what to do with Vorth as yet. His first instinct had been to instruct the Security Officer to throw her out of the airlock and leave her a frozen husk in uncharted space. She had undoubtedly failed, but then, S’Kath hadn’t noticed anything either when he arrived with the subjugation force. Perhaps the humans were good at hiding their true capabilities.
The question was what to do. If the capabilities of the human species were beyond what the Centaurs had, as it seemed, would overwhelming them with a huge attack be a simple enough solution? They could then take the technology that the humans seemed to have and make themselves invincible throughout the galaxy. No one would be able to defeat them. A plan was forming in K’Ra’s mind, one that had Vorth at the centre of it, and one that could possibly resolve his Vorth situation.
Six months passed, and a great armada was gathered at Centaur Prime, over 1000 destroyers and dreadnaughts. All armed to the maximum with plasma weapons and missiles. He doubted the humans had more than a handful of ships, and they would be overwhelmed by Centaur might. Vorth would be in the lead ship.
S’Kath would helm the fleet, but the flagship would be held back. Vorth would strike the first blow on behalf of Centaur. If, as K’Ra suspected, the humans only had a minimal capability, Vorth would either overwhelm them or perhaps not. The armada set out with the blessing of the Centauran Confederacy and the untold threat of what would happen if they failed.
S’Kath was nervous; he had seen the humans' capabilities at first hand, how they had defeated a mighty plasma blow that should have destroyed one of their cities, how they had crumpled up three of his ships, to chunks of compressed metals and centaur tissue, so completely that even the reactor had not been able to explode.
He hoped that the High Excellency was right, that the might of 1000 destroyers and dreadnaughts would be able to overcome the weapons that the humans had. K’Ra had instructed him to record everything and send it back to Centaur as it happened. ‘As if that will make a difference S’Kath had thought to himself, but wisely not said out loud.
Three days after departing Centaur, they arrived at the edge of the Earth system. Not trusting Vorth’s scanning abilities, he addressed his own Tactical officer.
“Scan the system, look for any inconsistency,” S’Kath instructed.
“Sir,” the TO responded. He pored over his instruments, he scanned, he rescanned, and he scanned again.
“Sir,” he began, “Nothing. I can see the various technologies in the third world. I can see that they use Nuclear Fission for the generation of power. I can see that clearly, but I can not see anything like what was experienced when we were here six months ago. I know what we experienced back then, but I cannot detect it now.”
S’Kath opened a channel to all ships.
“Red Alert,” he commanded, “We are going in, we will form up at the third planet. We will take a stance around the planet. The First Fleet, helmed by Vorth, will surround their moon. As soon as we are in position, we will open fire. We shall not be giving warnings; they had their warning six months ago. This time, we shall not give them a chance to attack; we fire first. For the glory of Centaur,” he finished.
“For the glory of Centaur” echoed through the ships, and the fleet moved on, this time moving faster than before, and taking only 15 hours to get into position. Each ship’s Tactical officer was scanning, looking for any sign of anything out of the ordinary. It was all useless.
As soon as they started to arrive in the Moon and Earth orbits, a voice came over all of the comms channels on all of the ships.
“Admiral S’Kath, welcome. You have bought more friends with you, we see. I am afraid there will be a small delay at customs. Border Control doesn’t usually deal with such a large influx.”
“Fire,” S’Kath shouted, his voice almost venomous and every ship in the fleet, all thousand vessels, fired their weapons. It was something less than spectacular. No weapons were fired. The commands were given, but the missiles stayed in their launchers, and the plasma stubbornly refused to become plasma.
“What? What?” S’Kath shouted.”
“Ah, yes,” the voice from Earth said, “yes, you see the thing is, when visitors do not check in at Neptune border control, our customs team automatically add a little payload to the passing ships.”
“Payload?”
“Yes, Admiral, it is a little present from our AI to your computers, what we like to call a computer virus.”
“What, virus?”
“Indeed, yes, it is a friendly little virus; in fact, it is so friendly that it refuses to fire any weapons. Which is just as well, as that is what you wanted to do when you arrived.”
S’Kath then heard his own words being played back:
“We are going in, we will form up at the third planet. We will take a stance around the planet. The First Fleet, helmed by Vorth, will surround their moon. As soon as we are in position, we will open fire. We shall not be giving warnings; they had their warning six months ago. This time, we shall not give them a chance to attack; we fire first. For the glory of Centaur,”
“Those were your words, were they not? Yes, of course they were. And so, we were ready for you.”
“What will you do, human?” S’Kath asked, his tone more humble than he felt. He was actually relieved to be alive at this juncture.
“Oh, we will destroy your fleet, of course. We can’t have visitors turning up with violent intentions; we have children here, and they need to be protected.”
“Wait, wait,” S’kath called, “I have over a million personnel here.”
“Yes, you do, one million, one hundred and thirty-two thousand if our sensors are correct. But you see, we have twelve billion people here on Earth, and you were just about to exterminate us all. Oh, I am sorry, you were going to TRY and exterminate us, of course that was never going to actually happen”.
“We will return to Centaur; we shall never return to Earth.”
“Oh, but you will, perhaps not straight away, but you will build more ships, or you will try and bombard us from afar, no, if we allow you to leave, you will think us weak. Therefore, you have to die, I am afraid, to send a message.”
There was a silence on the comms link, and then a final word. “Goodbye.”
Small ships uncloaked, they surrounded all of the centaur vessels. There was an iridescence of blue, and all one thousand Centaur ships crumped in less than a second. It didn’t even count as a battle, not even a skirmish. Earth sent a recording back to Centaur of the crumpling, which was accompanied by a message.
“Earth is protected. Do not visit if you wish to live. Thank you for your attention.”
